Crankcase ventilation



@ch 3, 1950 A. J. KLlNE ETAL CRANKCASE VENTILATION Filed 001;. 8, 1947 INVENTORS. ALVIN J. KL/A/E BY LEROY H. FHA/LING A TTORNEY Patented Oct. 3, 1950 H. Frailing, Detroit, Mich., assignors to'Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit, Mich, a corpora tion of Michigan Application October 8, 1947, Serial No. 778,568

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and particularly to the ventilation of the crankcase of such engines.

In internal combustion engines, particularly as used in automobiles, ventilation of the crankcase is required for the purpose of clearing out the acids and moisture that would otherwise accumulate therein. Acids are formed particularly in hot weather by the chemical changes that take place in the oil. Also, in winter, Water accumulates in the crankcase from condensation of moisture produced by the burning of the fuel, and this moisture may freeze and interfere with proper oil circulation unless it is removed.

Heretofore attempts have been made to ventilate the crankcase by the use of a pipe as an outlet extending from the upper part of the crankcase. Sometimes this pipe is connected to the intake manifold of the engine which may result in interference with the carburetion.

In the present invention positive ventilation of the crankcase is insured by forcing air into the crankcase at one point and permitting its escape at a higher level.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a forced ventilation through the crankcase of an internal combustion engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a forced ventilation of the crankcase of an internal combustion engine principally by the interconnection of elements previously provided on the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide Other objects of the invention will appear from i the following description taken in connection with the drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of an internal comcase I l, cylinders l2, and a valve compartment l 3,

which latter communicates with the crankcase as by port It. The engine crankshaft is indicated at l5, the cooling pump shaft at l6, and the generator at ll. On the crankshaft is a pulley I8, on the pump shaft is a pulley l9, and on the shaft 20 of the generator is a pulley 2|. The shafts I5, l6 and 20 are arranged in a triangle and the pulleys are connected by a belt 22 so that the crankshaft l5 will drive both the pump shaft I6 and the generator shaft 20.

For cooling the generator I! air is drawn therethrough by means of a blower 33 mounted on the end of the shaft 20. Thus as the blower is rotated, cooling air is drawn through the generator as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2.

The blower 33 is also used, in this invention, for the purpose of producing forced ventilation of the crankshaft of the engine Ill. Thus the blower is shrouded with a casing 3! which has an outlet 32 connected by a pipe 33 with the engine oil filler tube 34 the lower end of which extends into the crankcase H. The filler tube 34 is provided with a removable cap 35 which seals the upper end of the tube. Thus the air which is drawn through the generator for cooling the latter is forced by the blower 30 through the pipe 33 and the filler tube 34 into the lower part of the crankcase. This creates air pressure in the crankcase and the air may be allowed to escape therefrom through leakage points or preferably through a tube 40 which leads from the upper part of the crankcase, or as shown in Fig. 1, from the valve compartment l3 which communicates with the upper part of the crankcase. This ventilating process thus removes the acids and moisture from the engine.

So that the pressure at high speeds may not be excessive, the filler tube 34 is provided with a relief valve 50 such as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4 the relief valve is spring closed, and in Fig. 5 it is held closed by adjustable weights 5| on a pin 52 extending outwardly from the valve 50.

It will be understood that various forms of the invention other than that described above may be used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcase and an oil filler tube for the crankcase, of a blower driven by the engine, a discharge pipe from the blower to the crankcase filler tube, a removable filler cap sealing the inlet end of the filler tube, and a pressure relief valve in said filler tube.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, an oil filler tube leading to the crankcase, and a generator driven by the engine, of a blower mounted on the generator and arranged to cool the generator, a discharge pipe from the blower to the filler tube, and a removable cap for the inlet end of the filler tube.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, an oil filler tube leading to the crankcase, and a generator driven by the engine, of a blower mounted on the generator and arranged to cool the generator, a discharge pipe from the blower to the filler tube, a removable cap sealing the inlet end of the filler tube, a pressure relief valve in the filler tube, and. an air outlet from the crankcase.

ALVIN J. KLINE. LE ROY H. FRAILJ'NG.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,586,909 Miller June 1, 1926 1,761,944 Taylor June 3, 1930 1,778,036 Noble Oct. 14, 1930 2,317,723 Becht Apr. 27, 1943 

